Issues
by All4Reba31
Summary: After Reba comes to terms with her mothers death, a new man comes into her life. Will she be able to handle another shocking suprise? Finished! Some chapters were rewritten to make them longer. Enjoy!
1. What's wrong, Mom?

A/N: Fake, fake, fake. I do not own Reba or her show or anything related to it or the WB. This is all made up in my silly little mind. Oh, and one more thing... in my story, Kyra still lives at home. Enjoy!

Chapter One- What's Wrong Mom?

"Morning!" Cheyenne greeted everyone when she walked into the kitchen. Her little brother, Jake was eating his cereal, her husband Van was feeding their daughter, Elizabeth little bits of his Pop-Tart, her sister Kyra was putting homework into her backpack and her mom, Reba was quietly sipping her coffee.

"Morning, Cheyenne." Van said, popping another piece of Pop-Tart into Elizabeth's mouth.

"Mom, I'm need you to pick up Elizabeth from day care today. Van has to go back to Denver and I have a late class."

Reba nodded but didn't say a word. Cheyenne eyed her carefully as she slowly took another sip of coffee. She knew something was bothering her mom, she was usually very cheerful in the morning and always greeted them with a smile. But not today. Today she sat at the kitchen table, staring at her mug.

"Are you okay, Mom?"

"Yep." Reba answered and stood up and walked over to the sink. She finished the last of her tea, gently placed the mug in the sink and left the room.

"That was weird," Cheyenne started. "Van, do you know what's wrong?"

Van shook his head. "She hasn't said much this morning. She probably just isn't feeling well."

"Yeah, maybe." Cheyenne agreed, but she was still a little worried.

"Ok, I have to go." Van stood up and kissed his wife and daughter goodbye before leaving the room.

"Hey Jakey, has Mom said anything to you this morning?" Cheyenne asked.

"Nope." Jake answered and got up from the table to grab his backpack and follow Kyra out to catch the bus.

Cheyenne got up from the table and poured herself some coffee. She still had a little bit of time left before she had to be at her classes so she decided to give Elizabeth some cereal to keep her occupied while she ate her own breakfast.

"All done!" Elizabeth squeeled when she was done her cereal and dropped her spoon into the bowl. Cheyenne finished her own breakfast, then grabbed the dishes and put them into the sink.

"Ready to go to daycare?"

Elizabeth happily smiled and Cheyenne lifted her out of her highchair to head upstairs to get ready for their busy day. As she was walking to her bedroom, Cheyenne could hear some sniffling coming from her mother's room. She set Elizabeth down in her bedroom to play, then knocked on her mother's door.

"Mom, can I come in?"

There was complete silence at first, followed by another sniffle, then the opening of the door. Reba stood there, leaning on the door with tears brimming in her bright blue eyes. Cheyenne was really concerned now that she saw her mother so sad.

"What's the matter?"She asked.

Reba tried to speak, but could barely get the words out. Instead, she grabbed her daughters hand and squeezed it, looking for some sort of comfort.

Just then Elizabeth came out of the bedroom and Cheyenne picked her up and immediately handed her over to her Mom. She knew that just by holding Elizabeth that the little girl would make her Mom feel a little better. Just like she always did.

Elizabeth could sense how tense her Grandma was and leaned in to give her a hug. Reba tightnened the grip a little and let a few tears fall onto her cheeks. Cheyenne rubbed her mothers back, then wrapped her arms around the both of them. She desperately wanted to know what the problem was, because it was obviously large, but right now she knew her Mom just needed the comfort.

"You two should get going." Reba finally broke the embrace, setting Elizabeth down and dabbing at her eyes with a kleenex.

"Elizabeth, why don't you go pick out what you want to wear today, while I talk to Grandma for a minute."

"Ok." The little one agreed and toddled back into the bedroom.

Cheyenne turned back to her mother, who was visibly shaken at the sight of her daughter interacting with her own daughter.

"Mom?"

"I'll be okay, Cheyenne. Go, take your daughter to school before you're late for your own classes."

Cheyenne wrapped her arms around her mother for one last hug. "We'll talk later." She demanded, then disappeared into her room to get Elizabeth ready for the day.

"Here Elizabeth, put your socks and shoes on so we can go to school!"

The little girl hesitated for a moment before leaving her toy in the middle of the room. Cheyenne sat her up on the bed and put her shoes and socks on.

"Ok, now let's go say goodbye to Grandma."

Reba was still leaning on the door when Cheyenne and Elizabeth came back out. "Are you sure you're okay, Mom?" Cheyenne asked again before heading downstairs.

"Yeah. Go on about your day, I'll be fine."

"Ok." Cheyenne finally agreed, then grabbed Elizabeth and left for the day.


	2. Cheyenne calls Van

Chapter Two- Cheyenne Calls Van

"Mom. I'm home!" Cheyenne called out, when her mother was nowhere to be found.

"Gamma! We home!" Elizabeth imitated her mother in her sweet little voice.

Reba came downstairs and Elizabeth went running to her Grandma, where Reba scooped her up into her arms.

"Hey, sweetie." Reba acknowledged her grand-daughter. "I thought I was supposed to pick her up today."

"Well, my late class was cancelled so I decided to pick her up early."

Elizabeth gave her grandma a hug, then wriggled around in her arms, wanting to be put down. She walked over to her little playset and began playing with her toys.

After a few minutes of watching Elizabeth play, Cheyenne grabbed her mother by the arm and led her to the couch.

"Ok, time to talk." She demanded.

"Cheyenne, I'm fine." Reba whispered.

"No. You are not fine." Cheyenne almost yelled. "We are going to sit here until you tell me what's wrong."

Reba laid her head back on the cushion and let a single tear roll down her cheek.

"Please..." She begged. "I just...I can't right now."

Reba got up and started to walk away, but Cheyenne stopped her and pulled her in for a hug. Reba tried to pull away and Cheyenne tightened the grip she had around her mom. Elizabeth stood at her playset, watching the entire thing.

"Mama?" She asked. "Gamma sad?"

"Yeah, just a little bit." Cheyenne answered her daughter.

"I give hug?" Elizabeth asked with a sweet little look on her face.

"Sure." Reba answered. "I'll take a hug from you any day."

As soon as Reba felt the warmth of her grand-daughters arms, she didn't want to let her go. Right now she was looking for any source of comfort and she knew if she just told somebody what was troubling her, she'd feel alot better. But she couldn't. Not until she knew for sure that it was true.

"Gamma okay now?" Elizabeth asked.

"Yes. Thankyou sweetie." Reba answered and Elizabeth went back to playing with her toys. Just then Jake walked in and set his backpack on the couch.

"Hey Jake. How was school today? And where is your sister?" Reba asked her son.

"She said she was going to the library after school."

"Oh, so how was school today?"

"Good." He answered simply.

"What did you do?"

"Stuff." He answered again, then ran into the kitchen to get a snack.

Cheyenne turned back to look at her mother. "Hey, why don't we go to the mall and spend Van's money? That always cheers me up."

"No thanks. You go ahead, I'm gonna go upstairs and take a nap." Reba said and walked upstairs.

Cheyenne sighed. She wasn't getting anywhere in her pursuit to find out what was making her mother so upset. She wasn't going to give up though, if anything, she was going to have to try even harder. She decided to call Van... maybe he would know what to do.


	3. Reba gets some news

Chapter Three- Reba Gets Some News

"Hey, kids!" Brock greeted Kyra and Jake as he walked into their house with his wife, Barbara Jean and their son, Henry. The kids were sitting on the couch watching T.V. and Reba was sitting in the chair, flipping through a magazine.

"Ready to go to the movie?" Barbra Jean asked in her usual bouncy voice.

"Yes!" Jake said, excitedly. "I love Spiderman!"

Just then Cheyenne came downstairs, carrying Elizabeth. "Hey, Dad. Hey Barbra Jean." She greeted them with a smile.

"Hey, Cheyenne! You and Elizabeth are welcome to come with us to the movie. We're bringing Henry."

"Oh, no thanks. I...uh...have some phone calls to make." She answered, setting Elizabeth down in her playpen.

"Lucky you." Kyra said, the sacrcasm dripping from her voice.

Jake stood up and walked over to his dad. "Can we go now?"

"Yes, Jake. We can go now, come on Kyra!" Brock said, lifting himself from the arm of the chair. "Bye Cheyenne. See ya, Reba."

"Bye." Reba replied, not looking up from her magazine.

Cheyenne closed the door behind them and walked over to the couch and sat down. Reba closed her magazine and set it down on the table, then laid her head back in the chair and stared at the ceiling.

"Mom, will you please tell me what's wrong?" Cheyenne begged again, hoping she would get some kind of answer from her.

Reba just shook her head, squeezed Cheyenne's hand, then stood up and left the room.

"I am going to figure this out." Cheyenne whispered to herself, before picking up Elizabeth and taking her upstairs for a bath.

After drawing Elizabeth her bath, Cheyenne sat on the edge of the tub and watched her daughter play with her bath toys. Elizabeth was splashing up a storm. Suddenly, there was a weak knock at the door.

"Cheyenne?" Reba asked.

"Yeah, Mom?" Cheyenne answered.

"I have to run out for a minute, tell your Dad when he gets back with Jake to wait here. I need to talk to him."

"Sure." Cheyenne agreed, hoping it was her dad she wanted to talk to about what was bothering her.

"Gamma bye, bye?" Elizabeth asked as Cheyenne lifted her out of the tub and began toweling her off.

"Yeah, Grandma is leaving for a minute, but she'll be back." Cheyenne reassured her daughter.

Elizabeth gave her a small smile, then ran into her bedroom after Cheyenne had put her pajamas on. Cheyenne thought about running after her but the phone ringing made her change her plans. She ran downstairs, and picked up the extension in the livingroom.

"Hello?"

"Is this Reba Hart?" The voice on the other end asked.

"No." Cheyenne replied. "This is her daughter, Cheyenne."

"Oh, is your mother there?"

"No, she had to run out for a minute."

"Ok, tell her when she gets home that Dr. Chambers called. I have some news for her."

"Ok. She'll get the message." Cheyenne promised.

"Thank you." Dr. Chambers replied. "Bye."

"Bye." Cheyenne finished the conversation and hung up the phone. She was deep in her thoughts when her father and the rest of the family walked into the house.

"Hey, Cheyenne." Brock greeted.

"Hey guys, how was the movie?"

"Awsome!" Jake answered, then ran up to his bedroom.

"Ok, we have to get Henry home, it's late. See ya, kids."

"Bye."

It was after midnight when Reba came home. The room was completely dark, except for the light from the television. Cheyenne was the only one up, waiting for her mother to come home.

"Mom?"

"Yeah honey, it's me. I just needed to go have a couple drinks, clear my head."

Cheyenne warily nodded and watched as her mother sat down next to her on the couch.

"Dr. Chambers called, he said he has some news for you..." Cheyenne tried to explain but was cut short by the ringing of a telephone.

"Hello?" Reba answered.

"Ms. Hart?"

"Yes."

"This is Dr. Chambers up in Muleshoe."

"Oh hi doctor, how's she doing?" Reba asked, ignoring the looks Cheyenne was giving her.

"Your mother has taken a turn for the worst. We're afraid she's not going to live much longer."

"Ok, thanks doc. I'll be up there as soon as I can." Reba finished her conversation and hung up the receiver.

"Honey, it's about your Grandma..."


	4. Brock offers comfort

Chapter Four- Brock Offers Comfort

"What about Meemaw?"

Reba took a deep breath. "She's very sick, Cheyenne. The doctors are afraid she's not going to live very much longer. I'll see if Jake can stay with your dad, so it'll just be you and Kyra with Elizabeth when I leave tomorrow."

"Mom, I want to go with you. I want Elizabeth to meet her great Grandma and you need someone there with you."

Reba protested at first but then realized she was gonna need someone to lean on when she arrived at the hospital. "Ok." She agreed, before making her way upstairs to bed. Cheyenne followed her upstairs and gave her mom a hug goodnight, then went to bed.

Reba didn't sleep much all night. She lay awake thinking about the past and the memories she shared along the way. Glancing over at the clock again for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, she realized it was finally time to get up and get her kids off to school.

Making her way downstairs, Reba heard the bustle from the kitchen. She smiled when she heard her precious granddaughter babbling as she played with her kitchen set.

"Morning, Mom." Cheyenne greeted her mother when she appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Morning." Reba replied glumly and poured herself some coffee. She walked over to the kitchen table and sat down.

Just then Brock and Barbra Jean walked in. "Reba? Cheyenne said you wanted to talk to me?"

Reba got up from the table. "Yeah. Let's go in the livingroom. I don't want the kids to know yet."

Brock followed her into the living room where Reba sat down on the couch and patted the spot next to her. Brock noticed that she was close to tears and placed his hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Reba looked down at her hands, unsure of what to say or how to say it. Brock moved his hand to her back and began rubbing, trying to give her some sort of comfort.

"I need you to take Jake and Kyra for the weekend."

"Why?"

"I need to go back home and visit Mama. She's very sick and is not expected to make it much longer. She's slipping away, Brock and there's nothing I can do to help her..."

Brock's heart went out to Reba when he saw the tears sliding down her cheeks. He leaned in and gave her a hug.

"Listen, I'll go with you. We'll take the kids, I'm sure they'll want to see their 'Meemaw' one last time."

"Thanks, Brock." Reba replied, but there was still one thing on her mind.

"And no, Barbra Jean doesn't have to come."

Brock gave her one final hug, then got up to leave. "I'll go get everything settled at home with Barbra Jean and Henry and we'll leave when the kids get out of school."

Reba nodded and Brock left the room. Reba wiped her face, then stood up and walked back into the kitchen. "Ok kids, time to catch the bus, come on."

"Bye, Mom." Kyra and Jake both yelled on their way out the door.

"Bye. Have fun." Reba sighed and went upstairs to pack for the weekend.

"Bye, Mom. Elizabeth and I are leaving. Be back later!" Cheyenne called from downstairs.

"Bye Gamma." Elizabeth yelled. "I go to school!"

Reba smiled and came back downstairs. "Bye, sweetie." She said and kissed Elizabeth on the cheek.

"Mom, I called Van yesterday and let him know what was going on. He should be home later today."

"But what about the team?" Reba asked.

"He said he's coming home anyways. He wants to be there for support."

"Ok, you better get going. Bye Elizabeth, have fun at school!"

Elizabeth smiled and Cheyenne closed the door behind them. Reba went back into the kitchen to finish her coffee and clean the kitchen from breakfast. She was just finishing up the dishes when Barbra Jean walked in.

"Hey, Reba."

"Hey."

"Brock told me about your Mom and I'm so sorry. Do you need a hug?"

Reba backed away from Barbra Jean's protruding arms. "No thanks, Barbra Jean. I'm fine."

"Ok, I just came over here to see if you were okay."

"Thanks, Barbra Jean. I appreciate that, but if you don't mind, I just want to be alone right now." Reba said, opening the door and ushering her outside.

"I understand." Barbra Jean closed the door behind her. Reba went into the livingroom to fold some clothes and get her mind on something else. Pretty soon, Reba found herself sitting on the couch, drifting off to sleep.


	5. Reba loses her mom

Chapter Five- Reba Loses Her Mom

Reba stared out the hospital window as she sat by her mother's bedside. It had been raining all day but somehow it seemed to fit her mood. Suddenly, a weak knock startled Reba from her thoughts.

"Hey, Mom." Cheyenne peeked her head in. "Why don't you go get some coffee or something. Van and I will sit with Meemaw for a while."

Reba got up from her chair. "Let me know if she wakes up." She said before leaving the room.

Cheyenne closed the door behind her mother, then walked over to where Van and Elizabeth were sitting. She bent down and picked Elizabeth up from Van's lap and set her on the bed next to her Grandma.

"Hey, Meemaw. This is your great granddaughter, Elizabeth."

Elizabeth laid her head down on Meemaws chest. "Meemaw sleeping?"

"Yes. Meemaw is sleeping." Cheyenne answered. "For now..."

Cheyenne looked over at Van who immediately took her into his arms. He didn't know what to do or say in this delicate situation so he just held his wife.

(In the cafeteria...)

Reba sat in the hospital cafeteria picking at the sandwich on her plate. She was starving and knew she should eat something but couldn't force down the sandwich past the pit in her stomach. She was way too exhausted from not sleeping the night before. Brock noticed she could barely keep her eyes open and decided to help her.

"Hey," he started, softly. "Why don't I take you back to the house? You need some sleep and the kids are getting restless sitting around here. I'll come back and pick you up if anything happens."

Reba immediately shook her head. "My mother is in critical condition, Brock. I'm not going anywhere. But I would appreciate it if you would take the kids back there."

Brock knew by the look in her eye that she wasn't going to back down. Instead, he walked with her up to her mothers room.

"Hey, kids." Reba started. "Your dad is going to take you back to Meemaw and Grandpas house to get some sleep okay? Please, keep and eye on your brother and sister."

"I want to stay." Cheyenne protested as Elizabeth fussed in her arms.

"Cheyenne, please don't fight me on this." Reba begged, sadly. "Look, Elizabeth is getting cranky, there is nothing you guys can do here. Go back to the house and get some rest, please."

Cheyenne didn't want to make her mother more upset than she already was, so she didn't push the issue. Instead, she gave her mom a hug and followed Van out of the room.

"Hang in there, kid. I'll be back." Brock promised before closing the door.

Reba made her way to the chair that was beside her mothers bed and sat down. "Hey, Mama." She whispered and reached out to grab her hand.

"Elizabeth was excited to meet you today, she learned how to say 'Meemaw' just for you, it was so cute..." Reba paused to catch her breath and regain control of her emotions. "You know, Mom. I'm not ready to say goodbye. I need you here, Mama..."

"Hey," Brock interrupted. "Any change?" He asked and handed her a cup of coffee.

Reba took the cup and shook her head. "The doctors said that since she's been out for so long that if she doesn't wake up by tomorrow morning to prepare for the worst."

"Reba, I'm sorry."

"He told me that if I wanted to say goodbye, to do it now because the chances aren't good. But, I think if I do that it means I'm giving up on hope. I don't know Brock, maybe her time has come, I can't help but hope that she's gonna pull through."

Brock moved toward her and squeezed her shoulder. "You have every right to hope for the best."

Just then the monitors her mother was hooked up to started beeping uncontrollably.

"Mama?" Reba asked, thinking for a minute there was a slight chance she was waking up. "Call the doctors!" She hollered to Brock.

Before Brock could even make his way to the door, the doctors had hurried in and immediately went to work.

"Ma'am, you're going to have to leave the room."

Reba was hysterical and Brock knew he had to get her out of there. "Come on, let them do their job and we can go see her when they're done."

Reba hesitated at first but she let him grab her by the arm and lead her into the waiting room. She immediately started pacing the floor. Brock grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into the chair next to him.

"Sit down. You're making _me_ dizzy."

"I'm sorry. I just..." Reba stopped when she saw one of the doctors appear in the doorway. She knew by the look on his face that he did not have good news and prepared herself for the worst.

The doctor inched toward her. "Ms. Hart. I'm sorry...we lost her." He informed, then quietly walked away.

Reba stood there and stared at the spot where the doctor had been standing. Brock placed his hand on her back and lightly squeezed her shoulder.

"She's gone." Reba whispered. "She's gone, Brock. My mother's gone."

"I know, sweetie." Brock held his arms out to her and Reba took the opportunity to give him a hug. Then, the realization of what happened set in and she immediately started sobbing.

After a few minutes of dealing with the terrible news, Reba wiped her face and pulled out of Brock's arms.

"Let's go tell the kids." She sighed.


	6. Reba tells the kids

Chapter Six- Reba Tells The Kids

Reba stood at the front door of her parents house with her hand on the doorknob. She was too afraid she wouldn't be able to hold it together when she told her kids the terrible news. Brock noticed Reba's uneasiness and reached over and squeezed her neck.

Reba's eyes filled with tears and she continued to stare at the ground. "I can't..." She choked, and removed her hand from the doorknob. "I can't do it."

Brock was unsure of what to do. There was nothing he could say or do to make her feel better. She needed someone to lean on and he wished for a moment that that someone was him.

"Hey, you don't have to be strong for anybody. I'm here for the kids, you need time to grieve."

Reba took a few deep breaths to try and catch her breath. Once she was ready, they walked into the house.

The house was completely dark, except for the light glow from the moon. The kids were asleep, all of them cuddled together on their makeshift beds on the floor.

"They look so precious. I don't want to wake them." Reba whispered, and pulled the covers up around Jake. He stirred for a moment before settling back into the peacefulness of sleep.

"I guess you could take the spare bedroom. I'll sleep in Mama's room." Reba told Brock as she clicked off the television. Cheyenne stirred awake and saw her parents out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey, Mom. What are you guys doing back here? Is everything okay?"

Reba shook her head. "No, Cheyenne. It's not."

That was all she could manage to get out before Cheyenne had jumped up and wrapped her arms around her. "Somehow I already know what you're going to say Mom, and I'm so sorry."

Reba stood there for a moment, taking in the warmth of her daughter's arms. Cheyenne realized she wasn't letting go. "Are you okay, Mom? We can sit up and talk if you want."

Reba shook her head again. She was on the verge of losing control and wanted to leave the room before she showed that she was weak. "That's ok, honey. I'll deal with everything tomorrow. I just wanna go lie down."

Cheyenne knew her mom needed and wanted comfort, but was afraid to ask. She always was a proud woman, always had to be the strong one. Cheyenne herself was hurting from her grandmother's death, but her mom needed her more.

She started her walk down the hallway, looking at the rows and rows of pictures on the walls. There were pictures of when her and her brother and sister were little, pictures of her grandma and grandpa and mom together. There were even pictures of her mom and dad together.

(In the bedroom...)

Reba looked around the darkened bedroom of where her mother used to sleep. Her eyes had adjusted to the light, and she could see the shadows of the bedroom furniture. Not wanting to turn the lights on, she fumbled around the dark closet, before pulling out a nightgown and slipping it on. Memories started flooding back as she slid underneath the covers.

"Oh, Mom." Reba whispered. "What do I do now?"

Exhaustion seemed set in as Reba laid her head on the pillow and the tears started to pour down her cheeks. Reba tried furiously to pull herself together when she heard the weak knock on the door.

"Mom? Can I lay with you?"

Reba sat up but didn't answer her. Cheyenne walked in and sat on the bed next to her, watching her try to hold everything in. "Mom, stop this. You don't have to be strong for us."

Reba finally let go of her emotions and cried into Cheyenne's shoulder. Cheyenne eventually cried along with her mother, rubbing her back and whispering words of comfort.

Reba was the first one to pull out of the embrace, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her nightgown. Cheyenne grabbed a tissue and handed it to her mom. Reba wiped her eyes, then slid back underneath the covers.

Without saying a word, Reba waited for Cheyenne to climb in the bed beside her, then grabbed her hand. Cheyenne squeezed it, letting her know that she was there in case she wanted to talk. Reba smiled and her eyes fluttered closed. Not long after that she was softly snoring, finally being able to get more than an hour's sleep. Cheyenne fell asleep as well, while still holding her mother's hand.

Breakfast the next morning was quiet. The family sat together at the local diner, chewing slowly, not really knowing what to say to eachother. They knew of the days plans... they would eat at the diner J.V and Helen ate at every Sunday, then head over to the church for the service. But noone really wanted to think about what was happening, especially Reba. She had been a mess the night before, finally leaning on Cheyenne to let go of some pain. And nobody wanted to make her worse today.

After everyone was finished their breakfast, Brock walked to the counter to pay the bill, while the rest of the family headed to the car. Reba stayed behind. She was still sitting in the booth when Brock came back to leave a tip. He squeezed her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.

"Let's go." He said, softly and grabbed her hand, leading her to the car.


	7. The funeral

Chapter Seven- The Funeral

_"We are gathered here today, to honor the life of Mrs. Helen McKinney..."_

Reba sat through the service in a daze. Her eyes scanned the room, eventually stopping on the beautiful white casket at the front of the church. Reba immediately looked away, not wanting to believe who was in it, or the reason why she was at the church.

Brock set his hand on Reba's knee and she placed her hand on top of his, squeezing harder when she felt she couldn't be strong anymore.

"Mrs. H?" Van asked, leaning forward to look around Kyra and Cheyenne.

Reba picked her head up to look at him, took the kleenex he was offering and realized that Kyra was crying to.

Reba's protectiveness took over and she took Kyra into her arms. She placed her hand on Cheyenne's back, oblivious to her own tears trying to cloud her vision.

"It's going to be okay." She whispered to her children, trying to believe deep down in her heart that it was true.

_"...she will be dearly missed and will live on in the hearts of her loved one's forever."_

After shaking the hands with friends and family that had gathered at the church, Reba got up and started to walk outside. Brock followed her. Reba stayed quiet until they reached the front steps outside the church.

"I can't do this, Brock. I'm not ready to say goodbye."

Brock pulled her into his arms as the pallbearers began carrying out the casket, followed by her kids and the guests. Brock kept a tight hold on Reba as she lost it, watching the men carry the casket and load it into the back of the limo.

"Ready?" He finally asked, after everyone had piled into their cars and lined up behind the limo to head to the cemetery.

Reba shook her head, but started walking toward the car anyway. Brock took Jake's hand and led the other kids to the car. Once inside, he fired up the engine and lined up behind the other cars.

"Now where are we going, Dad?" Jake asked.

"We have to go watch the men put the casket into the ground." Brock answered, looking over at Reba, who was staring out the window.

"Oh."

The rest of the ride to the cemetery was quiet. Everybody lost in their own thoughts and waiting for the long ride to be over.

"We're here." Brock informed, shutting off the engine and stepping out of the car. Reba slowly climbed out of the car, closed the door and leaned her back against the window frame. Cheyenne and Van held their hands out to her, and Reba reluctantly took them.

"I don't know if I can do this, guys."

Brock put his arm around her and smiled. "We'll get you through this."

(Later that night...)

"I am so glad to be home." Reba said as she plopped her bags down on the floor in front of the door. The rest of the family had vacated to their respective bedrooms, enjoying the chance to get a good night's rest. Brock came through the doorway carrying the rest of the kids' luggage.

"Thanks, Brock." Reba said, grabbing the bags from his arms. "For everything."

Brock squeezed her shoulder, said his goodbye, then left for home. Reba made her way over to the couch, sat down and slipped her shoes off. She grabbed the blanket that lay across the back of the couch and spread it out on top of her body. A few minutes later she was snoring deeply, so exhausted that she slept through the night.

"Come on kids. You'll be late for school!" Reba hollered upstairs the next morning.

Kyra and Jake came bounding down the stairs, grabbed their backpacks off the couch and headed out the door. Not long after that, Cheyenne and Van followed with Elizabeth.

"Mom, I'm going with Van to the airport to say goodbye, then I am going to class, so I'll need you to pick up Elizabeth again-Thanks!" Cheyenne kissed her mother on the cheek and rushed out the door.

Reba walked into the kitchen and poured herself some coffee. She then walked over to the table to sit down and eat her breakfast. She was enjoying a nice, quiet meal by herself, when her ex-husband and his new wife came barging through the door.

"Where is everyone? I was gonna take Jake and Kyra to school today." Brock questioned and grabbed a muffin from the table.

"They've already left." Reba answered and went back to reading the newspaper.

"Reba," Barbra Jean started. "I just want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to. I'll be there."

Reba looked up at her to see if she was joking. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Let's go, Barbra Jean." Brock rushed her out the door.

A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. Reba got up from her seat to go answer the door with a sigh. When she swung open the door she was surprised to who she found standing there.

"Lori Ann!"

The two women exchanged hugs, then Reba invited her into the kitchen. They sat down and Reba offered Lori Ann a muffin. "I heard about your Mama, honey. I'm sorry."

Reba just nodded and set the plate of muffins down on the table.

"How are you doing? You okay?"

"I'm fine. The first night after she died was hard, and going through her stuff was a little painful, but I'm actually doing good."

"Well, you know I'm always here for you."

Reba smiled. "I'm glad you're back, Lori Ann. I was gonna have to talk to Barbra Jean."

Lori Ann shuddered at that thought. "So, what are your plans for today, hon?"

"Oh, not much. I have to go get Elizabeth later, but that's pretty much it."

Lori Ann got up from the table. "Ok, I'll be back later and we'll do something."

Reba nodded and walked Lori Ann to the door. "Give me about an hour. Maybe we'll go get a makeover or something." Lori Ann winked as she walked out the door.


	8. Reba meets someone new

Chapter Eight- Reba Meets Someone New

It had been several months since the passing of her mother and Reba was finally starting to get back into the somewhat normalcy of her life. She had met someone new and was starting to fall for him. Van had been injured and lost his football career, so he was home more with Elizabeth. That gave Reba the chance to finally do something for herself, to finally be happy.. not trying to fill the needs of everyone else in her family.

"Kyra? Make sure you keep an eye on your brother. Jack and I are going to dinner.. we shouldn't be too late." Reba called up the stairs after she finished getting ready for her date.

"Sure, Mom." Kyra hollered back at her.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Reba took one last look at herself to make sure she looked okay, then went to answer the door.

"Hey, Reba. You look great! Ready to go?" Jack greeted with flowers and a kiss.

"Oh, Jack... these are beautiful! Just let me go put these in water and then we'll go."

Jack nodded and sat down on the couch, where Jake was watching television, while Reba took the flowers into the kitchen. "Hey, Jake. What are ya watching?"

"Batman."

"Very cool."

"Ok, I'm ready to go." Reba said as she came out of the kitchen. "Jake, don't stay up too late.."

"Bye, Mom." Jake interrupted, not taking his eyes from the television set. He was really into his program.

"Kyra's upstairs if you need anything."

"Ok.. bye Mom."

(Later that evening, on the porch...)

"I had a wonderful time with you tonight." Jack said, wrapped his arms around Reba's waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I had a great time with you too." Reba replied and turned to kiss him. She could feel herself falling hard for this man, but was scared to let herself go furthur in the relationship. She felt that she was going to lose him.

"Let's go inside... We need to talk."

Reba opened the door and found Jake laying asleep on the couch, with the television still on. Jack scooped him up in his arms, then turned to Reba. "I'll take him up to bed, then we can talk."

"Ok." Reba replied, and Jack could sense the uneasiness in her voice. He gave her a reassuring smile, then headed upstairs to Jake's room.

Reba paced the livingroom floor as she waited for Jack to come back downstairs. When he did, he greeted her with a warm kiss. Reba pulled away, and sat down on the couch. She did all she could to keep her eyes fixed on something other than those amazing eyes, which made her heart melt every time she looked at him.

"Did I do something wrong?" Jack asked, a little concerned in how Reba was acting. He sat down next to her, grabbed her hand and entwined his fingers in hers. Her hands were like ice and she was shaking. She was also on the verge of tears.

"I can't be with you anymore."

"What?" Jack asked, the look of shock spread across his face.

"I'm scared, Jack. It hurt like crazy when Brock left me. I don't wanna go back to that."

Jack pulled her into a hug and began rubbing her back. "You don't need to be scared. I promise you, I'm all yours. I'd give the moon and the stars to be with you."

Reba smiled and Jack kissed the tear away from her cheek. A few moments later he whispered the words to confirm how devoted he was to her.

"I love you."


	9. Reba falls in love

Chapter Nine- Reba Falls In Love

_"I love you."_

Reba kept saying those three little words over and over again in her head, trying to get up the courage to say them back. She really did love him, and even though he told her there was nothing to worry about, she was still afraid of getting her heart broken again.

Jack could sense that she was still a little unsure. "Listen... I am going to give everything I have for you. I'm going to make sure I do everything to make this work. I don't want to be with anyone else... I want to be with you. I love you."

Reba leaned in and pressed his lips against his, letting her hands roam through his hair. Jack deepened the kiss and laid her down on her back. Reba moaned deep in her throat, then pulled her lips away from his.

"I... I love you, too."

Jack smiled and pulled her closer, and just held her in his arms. They both laid there for a while just enjoying the feeling of being close to one another. "I should go," Jack whispered a few minutes later. "It's getting late and I have to work tomorrow."

Reba's heart sank when Jack's warm body left hers. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back down on the couch, kissing him with all the passion she had. She didn't want him to go, but didn't know how to tell him she wanted him to stay.

"I really do have an early morning tomorrow..." Jack started but Reba silenced him with another kiss. He knew he had to go but couldn't find the strength to leave. After another passionate kiss, Jack put all defences aside and pulled her upstairs...

It was the inconsistent buzzing at eight o'clock that awoke Reba the next morning. She reached her arm around Jack and slammed her fist down on the alarm clock, causing him to stir awake.

"Morning." He greeted, and pulled her into his arms.

Reba smiled and pulled his face down to meet hers, giving him a passionate kiss. "I love you."

Jack chuckled slightly and grabbed her hand, entwining their fingers together. Reba didn't do or say anything, she just enjoyed the chance to finally have someone to hold, that was going to be there for her no matter what. She was starting to believe that his love for her was real. He sent flowers for no reason at all, left little notes in her purse, called just to say hi and last night he proved it by making love to her.

Reba giggled at her thoughts, which caused Jack to turn his head and look at her. "What?"

"You're amazing." She said as she pulled him closer for another kiss.

"No, Reba. You are."

They shared another kiss before Jack got up and started dressing. "Now I really have to go." He smiled.

"Yeah," Reba chuckled. "I should start making breakfast now." She climbed out of bed and looked around the room for her clothes. Once she found them, she dressed as quickly as she could. Jack finished dressing, gave her a kiss goodbye, and told her he'd see her for lunch.

Lunch was all Reba could think about as she made breakfast for the kids. She couldn't get Jack off her mind and the love she shared with him. She was starting to believe that Jack was going to be the one. The one she had waited for all her life.

"Mrs. H?" Van asked, and snapped her out of her thoughts. She realized she was handing him a plate, but wasn't letting go.

"Are you okay, Mom? You seem distracted." Cheyenne asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine... Just thinking, that's all."

"What are you thinking about?" Van asked, grabbing the plate from her hands.

Reba dismissed the question and decided it was time to talk about her relationship to the kids. "Listen guys... Jack and I are getting pretty serious. I want to make sure you guys are okay with us."

Cheyenne was the first to speak up. "Yeah, Mom. I want you to be happy."

Kyra and Jake nodded their approval as well. "You've been so much happier since you met him."

"I have alot to be happy about... a wonderful man, great kids, a beautiful granddaughter. I'm the luckiest woman in the world."

"Yeah, Mrs H.. You're the best mom ever."

"Well thanks, Van. You kids go on and get ready now.. the bus'll be here soon."

Reba said goodbye to all her kids as they left for school and various other activites.. then sat down and ate her breakfast. After breakfast she cleaned up the dishes, then went to go soak in a hot bath. The warm water soothed and relaxed her and she was now ready to take on the day.

Once she was dried off and changed, she headed downstairs to grab a cup of coffee, not realizing the time had flown past and it was now time to get ready for her lunch date.

She glanced at the clock and started to make her way back upstairs when the doorbell rang. She opened the door to find Jack standing there, smelling great and holding a yellow rose...


	10. Jack moves in

Chapter Ten- Jack Moves In

"Hey," Reba smiled, took the rose from Jack's hand and invited him in. "I'm almost ready."

"Reba, wait.. that's what I've come to talk to you about." Jack said as he closed the door.

"Something came up and my lunch break has been shortened... so I figured I'd stop by and bring you this."

Reba sat down on the couch and looked in the bag he was handing her. Inside was a bottle of wine and some chocolate covered strawberries. Reba got a huge smile on her face as she pulled out the wine from the bag.

"It's for dinner." Jack explained, as he sat down next to her. "I decided I'd make it up to you by cooking tonight."

Reba set the wine back in the bag, then leaned over and gave Jack a kiss. "I can't wait for that."

"You saying I can't cook?"

"Nope. Just saying I can't wait."

"Oh ok." Jack said, before standing up. "Anyway, I should get going. I'll see you tonight." He gave her another long kiss before heading out the door.

(Later that night...)

"That was delicious." Reba whispered as she lay in Jack's arms on the couch. Both of them lay cuddled together in a nice warm blanket, slowly sipping the wine.

"Ready for desert?" Jack asked as he reached for a strawberry that was sitting on the table. Reba nodded and it wasn't long before Jack was feeding them to her and licking off the chocolate that had crumbled off the berries. Pretty soon Jack had moved his lips to the back of her neck and Reba set the glass of wine down on the table before she dropped it.

"Oooh strawberries!" Van said as he walked in the livingroom, oblivious to the fact that his mother-in-law and her boyfriend were a little busy on the couch.

"Uh.. Van?" Reba asked, as Jack continued his kissing.

"Oh, I'm sorry Mrs.H. Don't mind me." Van apologized, then continued eating.

"What do you say we take this upstairs?" Jack asked, then pulled Reba up the stairs.

(Even later...)

"I should go home and get some clean clothes." Jack suggested, after he pulled his clothes back on.

Reba shook her head and pulled him back down on the bed. "Don't go."

"Ok." He agreed, and pulled her into his arms. The two lay awake for a while, enjoying the warmth they felt between them.

"I was thinking..." Jack wondered aloud a couple hours later. "What if all my clothes were here?"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying... I miss you when I'm at home. I want to start spending every night together."

Reba smiled and pulled his face down to meet hers. "I do too."


	11. Some more shocking news

Chapter Eleven- Some More Shocking News

Reba sat at the edge of the bathtub with her head hanging over the toilet. Jack had taken her out to celebrate their one year anniversary as a couple. And now she was paying for it the next day.

"Hey," Jack said, softly and made his way into the bathroom. He knelt down and placed his hand on her back.

"Never again." Reba groaned and lifted her head off the toilet. "My head's killing me."

"Here, I brought you some asprin and some water." Jack said as he handed her the pills and the glass of water.

"Thanks." Reba replied and swallowed both the pills down in one big gulp.

"Come on, let's get you back to bed."

"No, I need to cook breakfast and make sure the kids get to school." Reba protested, with her breathing becoming more rapid.

Jack knew what that meant and reached down and pulled her hair out of her face as she once again emptied the contents of her stomach.

"You are in no shape to do anything right now. You go back to bed and I'll take care of things with the kids." Jack demanded as he helped Reba back to their bedroom.

"Please get some sleep. Don't worry about the kids, I'll make sure they get to school."

Reba nodded and climbed back into bed, while Jack shut off the lights in the bedroom, then made his way downstairs. All of the kids were up, rushing through their breakfast and getting ready for the day.

"Hey kids." Jack greeted, when he walked into the kitchen. "Your mom's a little sick, so I guess I'll have to make your lunches."

"Sick? You mean she's hungover from her wild night last night." Kyra mocked, with a sarcastic grin on her face.

Jack hushed Kyra before she tried to say anything else, and before Jake caught on to what they were talking about. Kyra ignored him and got up from the table. "I think I hear the bus. Come on Jake.. and don't worry about lunch, we'll just get something at school."

Cheyenne waited until her brother and sister grabbed their bags from the table and left the room. "Mom went out last night? With who?"

"Your mom and I went out to celebrate our anniversary last night."

"Anniversary? But you're not married." Van piped up.

"We're still a couple. We've been together for a year."

"Awww that's so sweet. Congratulations." Cheyenne said as she hugged Jack.

"Thanks. So what are you kids up to today?" Jack asked as he poured himself some coffee.

"Oh, we have to take Elizabeth to pre-school and I picked up another night class, so Van, here will have to pick her up at 3:00, right Van?"

"Huh?" Van asked, looking up from his plate.

"Van! You're picking up Elizabeth at 3:00." Cheyenne calmly reminded him.

"Oh, right.. yeah, I can't."

"Why not?" She was growing impatient.

"A buddy if mine has this job lined up for me, over at his buddy's place and he wanted me to go look at it today."

"Well, who's going to get Elizabeth?" Cheyenne asked, a little worried.

"I'll pick her up." Jack piped up.

"Thanks Jack, you're a lifesaver." Cheyenne said as she grabbed Van and rushed out the door.

Jack finished his coffee, then headed back upstairs to shower and get ready for work. Reba was lying on the bed with her face pressed against the pillow, when Jack came out of the bathroom to get dressed, indicating that she had been up emptying her stomach again.

"Hey.. I'm going to work. I have two appointments today, so I should be back before lunch. Call me if you need anything." Jack kissed the top of her head, then shut off the lights and left for work.

(A couple days later...)

"Ok Elizabeth, you go play with your toys, Grandma needs to rest for a minute." Reba said as she set the groceries down on the counter and followed Elizabeth into the livingroom. She still wasn't feeling any better and decided to take a rest on the couch.

"Hey, I'm home!" Jack called out, when he returned from work. Elizabeth waved, then went back to playing with her toys. Jack walked over to where Reba was sitting and pressed his lips against hers. She snapped awake.

"Hey.. I was just resting my eyes for a minute." Reba lied.

"Yeah, looked like it. You still not feeling any better?"

"No.. and I don't know why."

"Maybe you should go to the doctor. They can usually tell what's wrong with people." Jack teased.

"Very funny. Help me up.. I'll leave a note for Cheyenne, letting her know where we are and that we have Elizabeth."

On the way to the doctor's office, they listened to Elizabeth babble and sing songs.. and before they knew it, they had arrived at the doctor's. Reba set Elizabeth down and notified the secretary that she had arrived.

After a few tests, the doctor came into the room, where they were waiting for the results. "Congratulations!" She exclaimed.

Reba looked confused. "Congratulations.. what do you mean congratulations, what for?"

"Reba, Dr. Morgan. You're going to have a baby!"


	12. Epilogue Reba Says Goodbye

Epilogue- Reba Says Goodbye

Reba stood at her mother's grave, a year later, laying flowers on her tombstone. Next to her, lay a shrine of flowers and pictures dedicated to a small child. Reba knelt down next to it, with tears in her eyes, and placed her hand on the ground. The child- a boy, named Dylan Joshua Morgan, had died right after his mother gave birth to him because of many complications.

"I will always love you, my precious baby boy and I will never, ever forget you." Reba whispered.

Jack came up behind her and placed his hand ontop of hers. "Take care, my son."

Reba stood up and pulled Jack up with her, wiping her face and giving him a kiss.

"He'll be okay... Mama will take care of him." She choked and wrapped her arms around him. The two sobbed in eachother's arms until Jack pulled away. He took one last look at the pictures before extending his arm out to Reba. She grabbed his hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, and laid her head down on his shoulder, while they walked to the car.

As they drove away, Reba knew, that with Jack by her side, she was going to be okay.

END


End file.
